COMMUNITY libraries in Ryedale have been highly commended for the services they provide.

Helmsley, Norton Hive and Derwent Valley Bridge in West Ayton were among those recognised by North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC).

The awards were announced by the chair of NYCC, Councillor Jim Clark, during a series of events he attended to celebrate Volunteers Week.

Cllr Clark said: “I have been privileged during Volunteers Week to meet so many people who generously give their time and skills to support their communities in so many ways.

"My gratitude extends to those volunteers that I wasn’t able to meet personally this week.”

He added: “North Yorkshire is England’s largest county, but in every part of it there are volunteers – almost 6,000 support county council services alone – who are very much part of their local communities.

"Community organisations, social enterprises and individual volunteers make such a valuable contribution to lives across the county and enable services to be extended in ways that would not otherwise be possible.”

County Cllr David Jeffels, a trustee of Derwent Valley Bridge Library, added: “Community-run libraries have proved a big success story for the county, and Derwent Valley Bridge is a wonderful example of a community coming together and using its wealth of expertise to ensure this valuable asset is retained.

"The team running the library certainly well deserves its success and others throughout the county are to be praised for the valuable contribution they make to their communities.”